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By Nora Marsh
When asked, “What is Envirothon?” most would answer, “I don’t know?” or “I was wondering that too.”
Rachel Daub, Envirothon advisor, is happy to answer that question.
“Envirothon is a competition for high school students that focuses on ecology and natural resource problems. Students compete hands-on in soils, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and a current environmental issue. This year’s current issue was ‘Nonpoint Source Pollution: What you can do at home.’”
This year marks Daub’s first at Pen Argyl Area High School. Her passion for the environment, love of the outdoors, and competitive nature led her to become the Envirothon advisor.
This year, the Northampton County Envirothon Competition was held at Louise Moore Park in Easton.
Each team stays together as they travel through each station. There are typically 2-3 teams per station at a time, traveling together throughout the day.
Each station is run by volunteers from the DCNR, PA Fish and Boat Commission, and PA Game Wardens. Teams have 30 minutes to complete a written test (1 test per team).
There are hands-on components to each station, animal identification, and problem-solving. After each team completes all five stations, awards are given to the overall top three teams, and the highest score for each station.
This was a learning year for Daub’s class, competition team, and herself.
It helped that “Everyone involved with the class and competition was committed to learning with me,” said Daub.
The Envirothon team was comprised of Rocco DeCesare, senior, and sophomores Talia Curtolo and Claire Mamana.
Curtolo was first introduced to Envirothon by Daub at softball one day. Daub explained how no students were going to the competition and she really wanted a team to go. Curtolo, with only some prior knowledge of the environment, went to compete.
Some challenges with forestry did not bring their spirits down. After doing extensive work with species identification, they were able to score the highest at the aquatic station.
Even though the team was outmatched, Curtolo said she would “absolutely do it again.”
Next year, she plans to prepare so much more and “form a full team of five so that we can all focus on one specific category.”
Photo Courtesy of Rachel Daub
Rocco DeCesare, Talia Curtolo, and Claire Mamana testing soil at the Louise Moore Park in Easton as a part of their diagnostic.
There is an elective Envirothon class that students can take to help prepare for the competition. It is a self-driven class where students are researching specifics of each of the five Envirothon categories.
Anyone in the Envirothon class is welcome and encouraged to compete in the competition. However, if the class does not fit in your schedule, you can still compete.
Daub wants anyone interested to “stop in my classroom and I will provide more details and information.”
Mamana was not in the class but was introduced and asked to go by another softball teammate who was competing. Her favorite part was the “soil station because we were able to do actual soil testing.”
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